ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Arriving
today on mobile phones everywhere, Curb delivers mobile innovation
and a whole new ride experience to consumers, drivers and
forward-looking ground transportation companies. Curb connects
riders to a nationwide network of over 35,000 taxis and 6,500
for-hire vehicles across 60 cities, and is adding more drivers and
travel providers daily. Formerly known as Taxi Magic, Curb builds
upon its pioneering history in the mobile transportation space to
provide convenient booking, reliable service, seamless payment and
an enjoyable experience for riders and drivers alike.
Curb riders control all aspects of their taxi, livery or black
car ride – including pick-up time, type of car, method of payment
and the route the driver takes. In recent months, the Curb team
delivered an improved taxi service in Los
Angeles, marked by faster pickup times, automatic
"touchless" payment, intensive driver training and significantly
improved rider ratings. Curb is launching this new level of service
across Chicago and Dallas area taxis immediately, with the rest
of the growing network to follow over upcoming months.To ensure
market-leading levels of safety and quality, Curb only works with
licensed, regulated and commercially-insured drivers and providers
in good standing with local regulatory authorities. The Curb mobile
app is available for free download at http://gocurb.com/app.
Existing iOS and Android users should update their Taxi Magic app
to activate the new Curb experience.
Curb also announced the hiring of new CEO Patrick Lashinsky. Under Mr. Lashinsky, Curb is
poised to enter several new markets, improve product offerings,
expand vehicle offerings in key cities and significantly grow its
employee base. Mr. Lashinsky brings years of executive experience
leading technology, product development, marketing and sales
organizations, including his tenure as CEO of Ziprealty (NASDAQ:
ZIPR). See full bio on Mr. Lashinsky below.
"We are excited to enter the Curb era and bring much-needed
'constructive innovation' to taxi and other forms of ground
transportation. Curb will redefine how consumers experience
reliable, safe rides from professional drivers spanning taxis and
sedans," said Mr. Lashinsky. "We place game-changing software
directly in your pocket that seamlessly guides the curb-to-curb
experience of a ride - while providing drivers and providers with
the tools to innovate, improve and flourish."
While riders benefit from advanced technology and a seamless,
hassle-free experience, Curb powers forward-looking taxi companies
intent on improving service to better compete in the evolving
ground transportation market. Curb works closely with its partners
to help drivers embrace technology, improve customer service and
pick up more rides, increasing driver income while decreasing
downtime.
"Partnering with Curb better positions us to compete with
ridesharing services and innovate as the industry changes," said
William J. Rouse, General Manager,
Yellow Cab of Los Angeles. "The
gloves are off and we will continue to invest in providing the
safest and best service to the people of Los Angeles. Curb helps us win this
battle."
Curb has raised $35 million in
financing and estimates significant continued growth. For more
information, please visit http://gocurb.com.
About Curb
Curb (previously Taxi Magic) is technology startup focused on
improving how people get around their cities. Curb puts consumers
in touch with nearby taxi and for-hire drivers for better, faster
and more efficient rides featuring real-time map tracking and
seamless mobile payment. As Taxi Magic, the company was the first
company to provide ride booking and payment services through a
mobile app. The Curb team is comprised of energetic, talented
individuals who are building technology to connect people to safe,
reliable rides and modernize the ground transportation industry.
The Curb app is free to download from the Apple App Store and
Google Play. Visit gocurb.com for more information. The Curb
network operates in over 60 cities around the United States.
About Patrick Lashinsky, Curb
CEO
As the CEO of Curb, Patrick
Lashinsky leads a talented, growing team in the mission of
delivering technology and innovation to taxi and sedan rides to
better serve riders, drivers and providers. Mr. Lashinsky joined
Curb in 2014 after a period consulting on innovation in a number of
industries and companies.
Prior to his consulting work, Mr. Lashinsky served as the CEO of
ZipRealty (NASDAQ: ZIPR), where he helped lead the company from
start-up to one of the fastest growing and most technically
advanced real estate organizations in the
United States. During his time at ZipRealty, in addition to
being the President and Chief Executive Officer, he also held
senior executive roles in Technology, Sales and Marketing. In 2008
the real estate journal Inman News named Mr. Lashinsky as
one of the "Top 100 Most Influential Real Estate People." And in
2010 SmartMoney.com named him as one of its Power 30. While at Zip,
he was a frequently tapped by major media outlets to share his
expertise and knowledge of the national housing market, with
appearances on "Good Morning America", "NBC's "Nightly News",
"Nightline", CNN's "Open House", Fox Business Network's "America's
Nightly Scoreboard", and was a regular commentator in the Wall
Street Journal, Associated Press and USA Today.
Mr. Lashinsky has over 10 years of marketing experience working
with such household names as General Mills and Del Monte. While at
General Mills, he was responsible for the creation and development
of Go-Gurt Yogurt in addition to managing brands such as Pop Secret
and Chex Mix. Prior to joining ZipRealty, Mr. Lashinsky was the
lead for new product development at Del Monte.
Mr. Lashinsky earned his M.B.A from the Anderson Graduate School
of Management at UCLA and his B.A. from
the University of California at
Berkeley.
SOURCE Curb
